Traffic Volume Trends - March 2003

Based on preliminary reports from the State Highway Agencies, travel during March 2003 on all roads and streets in the nation changed by -0.3 percent as compared to March 2002 resulting in estimated travel for the month at 233.2 billion vehicle-miles. This total includes 92.1 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 141.1 billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets.

Travel for the current month as well the cumulative yearly total on all roads and streets is shown below. Similar totals for each year since 1970 are also included.

Travel in Millions
All Roads and Streets

Year

March

Year to Date

1970

90,223

247,837

1971

92,974

258,429

1972

102,926

283,664

1973

107,490

296,721

1974

100,736

282,192

1975

106,070

295,715

1976

114,284

315,272

1977

119,960

324,821

1978

125,035

341,890

1979

131,406

355,410

1980

125,179

348,980

1981

127,798

353,612

1982

128,182

345,451

1983

132,814

364,078

1984

137,307

377,319

1985

144,424

387,912

1986

151,183

407,707

1987

157,573

433,488

1988

167,836

458,463

1989

174,990

481,473

1990

178,771

495,930

1991

179,076

490,316

1992

183,778

511,634

1993

187,869

522,393

1994

196,190

531,948

1995

201,227

566,118

1996

204,172

564,198

1997

211,952

586,028

1998

214,222

598,259

1999

220,763

605,830

2000

232,627

635,579

2001

231,488

640,656

2002

233,972

654,144

2003

233,210

649,276

Traffic Volume Trends is a monthly report based on hourly traffic count data. These data, collected at approximately 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations nationwide, are used to determine the percent change in traffic for the current month compared to the same month in the previous year. This percent change is applied to the travel for the same month of the previous year to obtain an estimate of travel for the current month.